Tepee



y 1958 F. R. WILSON, JR 2,842,145

' TEPEE Filed Dec. 14, 1955 INVENTOR' Fred R. Wilson, Jr.

ATTORNEYS United States PatentO TEPEE Fred R. Wilson, In, Dallas, Tex., assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, of one-third to Lawrence F. Peeler, Dallas, Tex., and one-third to Schley & Schley, Dallas, Tex., a firm Application December 14, 1953, Serial No. 397,839

Claims. (Cl. 135--1) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in tepees.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved tepee arranged so as to be easily and quickly expanded into a useable position and as easily and quickly collapsed into a bundle for storage or transportation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved tepee which may be erected indoors or outdoors so as to serve either as shelter or as a medium of play.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved tepee having crossed supporting poles surrounded by a cover, with the poles crossing above the cover and the divergent portions of the poles, above and below the crossing, connected by a rope lacing to provide means for supporting the tepee in its expanded position.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved tepee in the form of a self-contained and selfsupporting unit structure which requires no extraneous or auxiliary fastenings or supports.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front, elevational view of a tepee constructed in accordance with the invention and in its expanded position,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the central portion of the tepee wth the upper ends of the poles in crosssection to show the rope ring.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the upper portion of the tepee,.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of a portion of one of the poles with portions of the cover and lacing attached thereto.

In the drawing, the numeral designates a cover of canvas, cloth, or other suitable material, of truncated conical shape, or usual tepee form. The cover surrounds and is suitably fastened on the outer faces of upright supporting poles 11 by flat-headed nails or other suitable fastenings 12. The vertical edges of the cover are sewed together or otherwise suitably secured (not shown). An entrance opening 13 of suitable shape, preferably elliptical, is provided in the cover between adjacent poles and near the bottom edge of said cover.

The poles 11 are crossed above the top of the cover and adjacent their upper ends. The bottom edge 14 of the cover is spaced slightly above the lower ends of the poles so as to provide said poles with base projections or feet 15 which may be slightly embedded in the ground, if desired, or which may merely rest upon the ground or floor when the tepee is used indoors. The structure which has so far been described, is in common use.

As hereinbefore described, the poles are crossed above the top of the cover and above this crossing, a rope ring 16 is horizontally disposed and passed through transa I 2,842,145 Patented July 8, 1958 ice 2 verse openings 17 in the upper portions of said poles above said crossing (Fig. 2). The ring is not essential to'the invention and may be omitted, but it is useful in holding the poles in place and limiting spreading thereof. Between the rope ring 16 and the upper ends of the poles, rope openings 18 extend through said poles transversely with respect to the outer faces of the poles and preferably horizontally, the poles being shown as quadrangular in cross-section.

Disposed preferably in a horizontal plane transecting the cover, suitable fastenings, such as individual screw eyes 19 extend through said cover into the outer faces of the poles (Fig. 4). The screw eyes are located, preferably, at the medial portion of the cover and above the transverse center thereof so as to space said screw eyes a distance below the crossing of the poles greater than the distance of the openings 18 above said crossing.

A single length of small rope or heavy twine 2.0 is passed through one of the screw eyes 19 and tied thereto to form a loop 21. The rope is then carried upwardly and passed through the rope opening 18 in the upper end portion of one of the overhanging poles. This rope, which constitutes a lacing, is passed down and through the screw eye 19 of the adjacent pole, shown as the righthand pole, and thence up to the rope opening of the next overhanging pole to the right hand. This up and down lacing is continued until the free end of the rope is brought down and tied into the loop 21.

All slack is taken out of the lacing so that, when the poles are spread and the cover expanded, the rope is taut and said poles are held substantially rigid. Owing to the crossing of the poles, their lower portions are inclined outwardly and downwardly from said crossing; while the upper portions of said poles above the crossing are inclined outwardly and upwardly, thereby creating an obtuse angle between said portions. The lacing being disposed across this angle, acts to contract the angle and since this retraction is resisted by the tension of the cover, which is drawn tight, a firm structure is had.

The tepee is readily collapsed merely by picking it up, untying and releasing the rope 20, swinging the poles toward the center and folding in the cover around the collapsed poles. The tepee constitutes a self-supporting, readily movable unit which may be expanded and erected in any desirable place and which is complete in itself and requires no extraneous or auxiliary fastenings or supports. The lacing may be said to be strung up and down across the crossing of the poles.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory thereof and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention. What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A tepee comprising, a plurality of upright supporting poles crossed near their upper ends and having transverse openings above their crossing, a cover surrounding and attached to the poles below their crossing, external fastenings extending through the cover and into the poles, and a lacing strung between the openings and fastenings to hold the poles spread and the cover taut.

2. A tepee as set forth in claim 1 including, a rope ring horizontally connecting the poles at their upper portions.

3. A foldable tepee comprising, a plurality of upright supporting poles arranged in a pyramid and crossed adjacent their upper ends whereby the upper portions of the poles above the crossing extend upwardly and outwardly and the lower portions of the poles below the crossing extend downwardly and outwardly, a cover surrounding the poles below their crossing, and securing elements extending externally of the cover between portions above and below the point of crossing of the poles, of the poles above and below the point of crossing for and the lacing is strung up and down across the crossing holding the poles and cover spread in a pyramid. of the poles.

4. A tepee as set forth in claim 3, and means connecting the upper portions of the poles circumferentially of 5 References Clted 111 the file of Patent thetepee- 1 3 h th UNITED STATES PATENTS 5. A tepee as set forth in c a1m W ereln e secur- 2,512,099 Guenzl June 20, 1950 mg elements are a lacing attached to pornons of the poles 2663.306 Davis Dec 22, 1953 

